Switching from Mac to Windows, or using both? Compare specific actions rather than replacing modifiers. This orientation guide does not certify every table entry; use the reviewed Switcher and each guide's binding-level evidence before relying on a destination shortcut.
Almost every shortcut using ⌘ (Command) on Mac maps to Ctrl on Windows. The exceptions — highlighted in yellow — are the ones to memorise first.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copy | ⌘ + C | Ctrl + C | |
| Cut | ⌘ + X | Ctrl + X | |
| Paste | ⌘ + V | Ctrl + V | |
| Undo | ⌘ + Z | Ctrl + Z | |
| Redo | ⌘ + Shift + Z | Ctrl + Y | |
| Select All | ⌘ + A | Ctrl + A | |
| Find | ⌘ + F | Ctrl + F | |
| Save | ⌘ + S | Ctrl + S | |
| New Window | ⌘ + N | Ctrl + N | |
| Close Window/Tab | ⌘ + W | Ctrl + W | |
| Quit App | ⌘ + Q | Alt + F4 | |
| Switch Apps | ⌘ + Tab | Alt + Tab | |
| System Search | ⌘ + Space (Spotlight) | Win key or Win + S | |
| Lock Screen | Ctrl + ⌘ + Q | Win + L | |
| Task Manager | ⌘ + Space → Activity Monitor | Ctrl + Shift + Esc | |
| Full Screenshot | ⌘ + Shift + 3 | Win + Shift + S or PrtScr | |
| Region Screenshot | ⌘ + Shift + 4 | Win + Shift + S | |
| Open Settings | ⌘ + , (in-app) | Win + I | |
| Force Quit | ⌘ + Option + Esc | Ctrl + Shift + Esc (Task Manager) | |
| Emoji Picker | Ctrl + ⌘ + Space | Win + . (period) | |
| Clipboard History | Third-party app (Maccy, Raycast) | Win + V | |
| Mission Control / Task View | Ctrl + ↑ or 3-finger swipe | Win + Tab | |
| Switch Desktops | Ctrl + ← / → | Ctrl + Win + ← / → | |
| Snap Window Left/Right | Drag to edge or hold green button | Win + ← / → | |
| Bold | ⌘ + B | Ctrl + B | |
| ⌘ + P | Ctrl + P |
Same pattern (⌘ → Ctrl)· Different — learn these
Most shortcuts you know from Mac using ⌘ map to Ctrl on Windows: ⌘+C → Ctrl+C, ⌘+Z → Ctrl+Z, etc. However, the Ctrl key on Windows does other things too — Ctrl+Win+← switches desktops, Ctrl+Shift+Esc opens Task Manager. The Win (Windows) key handles system-level shortcuts like Win+L (lock), Win+I (settings), Win+E (Explorer).
On Mac, ⌘+Q fully quits an application. On Windows, Alt+F4 closes the focused window — and also quits the app if it's the last window. On Mac, closing the last window (⌘+W) often leaves the app running. Windows doesn't have this distinction — Alt+F4 on the last window = app quits.
On Mac, you needed Rectangle or BetterSnapTool to get Windows-style snapping. Windows has it built in: Win+← and Win+→ snap to halves, Win+↑ maximises, Win+Shift+← / → moves windows between monitors. In Windows 11, hovering over the maximise button shows a snap grid.
This trips up many Mac users. On Windows, Home and End jump to the start/end of the current line (the Mac behaviour requires ⌘+← / ⌘+→). On Windows, to jump to the start or end of the document, use Ctrl+Home and Ctrl+End. For word navigation: Ctrl+← / Ctrl+→ (same as Option+← / Option+→ on Mac).
On Mac, redo is ⌘+Shift+Z. On Windows, redo is Ctrl+Y in most apps (not Ctrl+Shift+Z). Some Windows apps — notably Chrome and VS Code — also accept Ctrl+Shift+Z, but the standard Windows convention is Ctrl+Y.
Windows 11 has a built-in clipboard history (Win+V) that shows your last 25 clipboard items — something Mac doesn't have natively. Make sure clipboard history is enabled in Settings → System → Clipboard. This replaces Maccy or Paste on Mac.
Mac's Option key maps to Alt on Windows. On Mac, Option+← / Option+→ moves word by word — on Windows that's Ctrl+← / Ctrl+→. On Mac, Option in menus reveals hidden shortcuts — on Windows, pressing Alt activates the menu bar (Alt+F opens the File menu).
These free tools restore features you relied on from macOS — or make Windows work more the way you're used to.
Microsoft's official power-user toolkit. Includes keyboard remapping (Keyboard Manager), a Spotlight-style launcher (PowerToys Run), window snapping enhancements (FancyZones), and 20+ other utilities. The must-install for any Mac user switching to Windows.
Instant file search across your whole drive — much faster than Windows Search. Type any filename and find it in milliseconds. Replaces Spotlight's file search capability.
Low-level keyboard and mouse macro tool. Remap any key to any other key or shortcut — for example, remap Caps Lock to a Ctrl/Win hybrid key, or create shortcuts that open specific apps. Replaces Karabiner-Elements on Mac.
Powerful screenshot and screen recording tool that replaces macOS's ⌘+Shift+5 screenshot toolbar with a more feature-rich version. Supports annotation, scrolling screenshots, and direct uploads.
Microsoft documents Ctrl+C for Copy and Ctrl+Z for Undo in Windows text editing; Apple separately documents Command+C and Command+Z on Mac. These examples do not establish a general modifier conversion. App switching and system commands require their own platform-specific evidence.
Press Alt+F4 to close the active window (and quit the app when it's the last window). Unlike Mac, Windows doesn't distinguish between 'close window' and 'quit app' the same way — Alt+F4 on the last window always exits the application.
Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager directly. You can also press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and select Task Manager from the menu. Task Manager shows CPU, memory, and disk usage and lets you force-quit frozen apps — equivalent to Activity Monitor on Mac.
Press the Win key (or Win+S) to open Windows Search, which searches apps, files, settings, and the web. It's less capable than Spotlight out of the box, but Microsoft's PowerToys includes 'PowerToys Run' (Alt+Space) which is much closer to Spotlight's speed and versatility.
Use Ctrl+Win+← and Ctrl+Win+→ to switch between desktops. Press Win+Tab to open Task View, where you can create new desktops and drag windows between them. On Mac this was Ctrl+← / Ctrl+→ and Mission Control (Ctrl+↑).
Microsoft documents Win+Shift+S for Windows screen capture; Apple separately documents Shift+Command+4 for a selected region and Shift+Command+5 for Screenshot controls on supported macOS versions. These workflows differ in capture modes and save destinations. Choose a documented capture mode rather than assuming identical behavior.